I'm running out of time. Just now the display on the GPS device warns me: battery level five per cent. This refers to the rear derailleur of the radio-controlled Sram AXS. I'm once again on tour with our editorial endurance test bike, an electronically upgraded Scott Genius, and can already see myself pedalling home in the lowest gear. As soon as the battery level reaches zero, the whirring of the rear derailleur stops as abruptly as the beer bar at closing time.
Are electronic components a curse or a blessing for mountain bikers? We wanted to answer this question with a special kind of endurance test bike. That's why we equipped a Scott Genius with everything the component market has to offer in the way of electronic helpers a good six months ago. Of course, we were particularly interested in the function of the brand new, radio-controlled AXS components from Sram and Rockshox as well as the automatic Live Valve suspension from Fox. Together with a wattage measurement system, tyre pressure control and GPS computer, the price of the Genius added up to an impressive 15,000 euros. The tangle of USB cables and plugs for charging the numerous batteries looked like the snake's head of Medusa and was viewed with scepticism from the outset by our colleagues who were interested in riding. Nevertheless, the Genius was highly coveted by the editorial team. A total of five colleagues felt out the electronics on their home ride, on a bike holiday or during a visit to the bike park.
Our readers' surveys have revealed the following on the subject of "E" on mountain bikes:
- In an initial survey after Eurobike 2017, just 23% of participants were convinced that electronically controlled suspension and gears would become established on mountain bikes. At that time, 77% of respondents believed that single-speed drivetrains had established themselves among the masses.
- 61 % In 2019, electronic components were already in second place in our survey. Shortly before this, Sram's AXS group was launched on the market.
- According to our latest survey, 27% of participants already use electronic components on their mountain bikes.
The entire article with all the findings from the long-term test is available as a PDF in the download area below:
- Bike: SCOTT Genius
- AXS components from Sram (Eagle AXS XX1) and Rockshox (Reverb AXS)
- automatic live valve system from Fox
- Wattage measurement system and tyre pressure monitoring for smartphones
- GPS computer (Garmin, Wahoo)
You can find this article in BIKE 12/2019. You can read the entire digital edition in the BIKE app (iTunes and Google Play) or the print edition in the DK shop reorder - while stocks last:
Downloads:
Stefan Frey
Editor
